Egypt releases Hamas detainees

March 24, 2008 9:00am

Egypt freed 33 Hamas men held by its security police.

Egyptian authorities on Sunday released 33 out of 34 members of the Islamist group who were rounded up after entering the Sinai illegally along with hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip in January.

The remaining detainee in Egyptian custody was said to be a senior Hamas member.

The mass release came after Hamas alleged that its men were being tortured under orders from Cairo and interrogated about security issues of interest to Israel – specifically the location of Gilad Shalit, a soldier abducted to Gaza in 2006.

Hamas also had demanded the return of its detainees as part of Egyptian-brokered talks on Palestinians halting rocket fire from Gaza into Israel.